Stanford Trouble 1
by JediMagnet09
Summary: Stanford Trouble Series..... This is a bit of an AU. Dean checks up on Sam at Stanford and gets perhaps a little more than he bargained for: some good, some bad.


Hey guys! I finally have something else to put up! I hope you like the story! Please review! :)

It was going to drive him crazy. He was sure of it. Absolutely, completely, utterly, and inexplicably insane. "Jess? Are you sure? Are you sure that was the right puzzle?" Sam asked, a frown on his face.

Jess gave him a startled look, then began to laugh. "Sam, are you _still_ thinking about that puzzle? It was a joke, honey, it's unsolvable." Jess was tearing up, her laughter rang down the sidewalk, bringing the attention of several guys nearby who were watching them with disdain.

Ignoring them pointedly, Sam smiled down at Jess gently, amused. "I was so close, though." He lamented.

Jess shook her head, wiping her tears away, gasping for breath. "I'm sorry, Sam…..I would have done that ages ago if I'd known you would obsess over it like this!" she sputtered.

Sam rolled his eyes at that, but his smile never left his face. "I'm glad I amuse you so much. I'll have to remember to obsess more often." Pulling Jess closer, he paused a moment to give her a kiss.

"Yeah, maybe you should." Jess murmured a second later, a soft smile on her face now too.

Dean tapped his hand rapidly against his thigh, his thoughts on the young man in front of him, who had never looked so happy, so content. His brother loved it up here. That much was certain. He was safe. That was pretty clear too. However, it didn't stop him from coming up here to check on him. Just because Sam went to college, didn't mean Dean's protective, Big Brother instincts turned off. It just didn't work that way. And, even if Dean would never admit this to anyone under pain of death, he missed his little brother. A lot. The company, even if it was only distant, was needed. He needed to know that he had lost Sam to…something that was worth it. From the look on his baby brother's face…..it was.

Sam looked up as his hunter's instincts suddenly flared up. He knew, even before he saw them, that the guys he had been ignoring earlier, were approaching. Closer than was normal, necessary. His whole being screamed _**"TROUBLE!" **_at him and he felt the familiar tensing of his muscles, shifting of the body, preparing for confrontation. _Why? Why can't I just live in peace?  
_

Dean stiffened as something caught his eye. There was something….._off_ about his brother. Something had changed. Muscles tensed, his position shifted slightly. He was alert. Apparently, the hunter in Sam wasn't dead. Dean surveyed the surrounding area for danger and his eyes immediately fell on the group of guys approaching the pair. "Oh, crap."

Jess pulled away from Sam as she felt his attention divert to something else and she watched with trepidation as the guys approached.

"Jess."

Sam's soft whisper reached her ears and she tuned in to him with an ease that seemed to come naturally to her.

"Take the cell from my pocket. My brother, Dean's number is in it. If this goes badly, I want you to call him. I don't know where he is, but I know he'll be here as soon as he can if he's needed. I have a bad feeling about this." Something seemed off to the young hunter. These guys meant business. These weren't just stupid college boys. This was something more.

Dean was surprised to see Sam's lips begin to move, though it was clear he wasn't shouting. Whispered instructions to Jess? That was when he saw his name form on Sam's lips. Sam was telling her to call _him_. Dean felt warmth and fear fill him at the same time. Sam still trusted him and that made him happier than he had been since before Sam left. Sam appeared to think this was serious and that scared him. Sam was no wuss. If he was scared, there was reason.

"Can I help you?" Sam asked mildly as the guys reached them.

"Yeah, my friend here thinks your girlfriend looks lonely. Mind sharing some of _that?_" The leading boy sneered, crudely.

Sam felt Jess tense beside him in fear and he unconsciously moved to shield her from them. "I think you need to leave. Now." Sam's voice was no longer mild. Soft, yes, but there was a dangerous tone to his voice that he rarely let out.

The boys heard it. So, apparently, did Jess, as he felt her stiffen against him again.

"Now, see, that's just plain unfriendly. Now, boys, I don't think the young geek here should be allowed to talk to Seniors like that. The kid needs to learn some respect, don't you think?"

Suddenly, Sam remembered how he knew the leader. "Ah. This isn't about Jess, is it? No, this is about the fact that I kicked your butt in front of your coach, your team, and the guy who was about to offer you a job." Sam had felt sorry about it at the time and had apologized, not knowing that so much had ridden on that fight. However, after several weeks of coldness, then distant hostility, Sam had begun to stop feeling sorry. "Look, I apologized for beating you in that fight, dude, you need to let it go. You'll get another opportunity, you're a good fighter." Sam tried to placate, more for Jess' sake than for his.

The murderous expression on the boy's face spoke volumes. "Shut it! You will pay! My whole life was riding on that fight and then you had to come striding in and take EVERYTHING from me!" The young man was furious.

In an instant, Sam knew the guy was moving forward, knew a fight was starting. "Jess, go!" he managed to spit out, before he ducked the swinging fist and was suddenly entangled in a fight. Outnumbered badly, but ticked enough not to care.

Jess pulled the cell phone out of her pocket with shaking hands, even as she stumbled backwards. She was just about to pull up the number when a distant slamming sound caught her attention. She looked up to see a young blonde moving towards them, running, looking worried and furious at the same time. _Wait a second….._ The face looked awfully familiar. Then she placed it. The photo on Sam's dresser, the photo in Sam's wallet. This was Dean. _How the heck…..?  
_

Sam was going to lose. He knew it, even as one kid fell to the ground and didn't get up again, knocked out cold. He was doing well and they would all be sore in the morning, but he was outnumbered and he was getting tired. _If only Dean were here to get my back, we could kick these losers into next week. _A sudden shout grabbed his attention and Sam turned just in time to get a hard fist in the jaw that sent him stumbling back, trying to see through the stars. Acting instinctively, he turned when he heard a sound, then froze at the familiar growl.

"Don't go swinging at me, Sammy, I'm on your team."

_ Dean?  
_

Dean threw himself into the fight with a gusto that he had missed in his hunts of late. Without the proper motivation, there really was no reason for anything. Now that his motivation was back, he could do this and he could enjoy it. A grin on his face, unsuccessful in masking the fury that these freaks touched his baby brother, Dean leapt at the first guy he saw.

Dean was here. Dean was always here when he was needed. _How does he do it? _Taken abruptly from his thoughts by another swinging fist, Sam managed to counter the swing, then pulled himself back into the fight. The leader was coming straight at him now and Sam found himself grinning fiercely as he pictured hitting the guy so hard his head spun and teeth fell out. Sam grabbed the leader's arm and twisted it, even as the guy moved to counter.

Twisting out of his grasp, the leader suddenly grabbed Sam's throat and began to squeeze. Even as he gasped for breath, Sam struggled, but the leader had a firm grasp and Sam was struggling.

Then the guy was being jerked back, Dean's firm hold on his collar revealing white-knuckles.

Noting his brother's furious face and deciding to think about how protective his brother still was of him later, Sam was already moving. His right hand closed around the guy's wrist that held his throat, his left elbow rising and slamming into the kid's face.

The leader went down like a rock and Sam moved forward with his brother, falling into an old familiar rhythm . He knew his brother, knew where he was going, knew how to read him. He knew how to fight by his side. Years of doing so had taught him. They moved synchronously, moving from opponent to opponent till they were the only ones standing. Sam smiled as Dean looked up at him with a grin.

"Hey little brother."

Jess wasn't an idiot. The way the brother's moved together, so smoothly, so….well, at the risk of sounding clichéd, as one…. _They've done this before. They've done this against guys a lot scarier than these losers. _The knowledge brought Jess comfort, yet scared her. What kind of life had her boyfriend led that would make fights seem natural, easy? She found that instead of being afraid of him, she was afraid _for _him. _Sam, I hope you aren't in over your head. I love you too much to lose you. _Shaking herself away from these thoughts, Jess moved forward, wrapping her arms around Sam.

"Are you okay?" She fought to sound calm and was rather proud of her efforts.

Sam wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Yeah, I'm fine. Are you?"

Jess nodded, not able to bring herself to speak. The adrenaline rush was wearing off now and she was beginning to feel overwhelmed.

Sam studied her face for a moment, his concern for Jess assuaged as he realized she was just frightened, not injured. He could deal with frightened. Injured? Not so much. "How do you do it, Dean?" Sam suddenly asked, glancing at his brother, confusion on his face.

Dean looked confused now. "Do what?"

"Show up just in time to rescue me. You're always there exactly when I need you. It's rather unsettling actually." Sam grinned at his brother, the gratitude shining through his eyes saying more than words ever could.

It was Dean's turn to grin. "'Cause I'm a superhero, Sammy. Those dusty books must be getting to your head if you've forgotten that."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Ah. How could I forget?" But just a moment later, Sam's gaze was very gentle. "You were checking on me." The words were soft, but clear. He knew Dean heard him. His brother shifted slightly, uncomfortable. Quick to sooth him, Sam smiled. "Thank you."

_This is my chance. Sam's right here. Don't let him slip away now. _Dean looked up and smiled at his brother. "Don't mention it." He responded. Clapping a hand on his brother's shoulder, Dean grinned. "You know, while I'm here, you might as well show me where all the good bars are. And, of course, introduce me to this gorgeous girl hiding in your arms."

Jess blushed brightly at that and Sam grinned. He felt more complete now than he had for a while. His father might still hate him, but Dean was here. Dean was always here to protect him. That would never change, Sam suddenly realized. He didn't want it to. He wouldn't let it. "Dean, this is my girlfriend, Jess. Jess, this is my brother, Dean."


End file.
